8 out of 10

Michael Jackson's This Is It is a tough film to review. Culled from rehearsal footage for his planned 50 shows at the 02 Arena in London, This Is It isn't really a concert film nor is it a documentary offering an intimate look into the enigmatic entertainer. It's more like an intimate peep. Nonetheless, watching Jackson prepare for what was sure to be an amazing concert is quite magical.

To call the show he was preparing a concert is almost an insult. It was going to be a spectacle like no one has ever experienced. Jackson was taking every amazing element from his prior tours and planning on topping them. If nothing else, this look in to his creative process shows a man who was supremely talented and ready to conquer the world for a final time.

Since his death, the outpouring of love and support for the singer has been overwhelming. Gone is the cynicism surrounding his eccentric lifestyle and allegations of molestation. People have embraced him for all the good he has created through his music, dancing and showmanship. They are celebrating a truly one of a kind entertainer who has touched the hearts and minds of countless individuals throughout his career. No matter how you stand on whether Michael Jackson was a misunderstood angel or whether he was a monster, it's hard not to be in awe while watching him perform; even at half speed.

This Is It is essentially a documentary detailing the work that Jackson was putting into his final tour. You don't walk away with any real sense of knowing who he truly is. The man behind the performer remains a mystery. The brief bits you do see in between performances of every hit song imaginable, portray a soft spoken, humble man who is also extremely confident in himself as an entertainer. He wants everything the way he wants it, but he gets people to do what he wants through kindness and support. There is not a trace of oversized ego in any of his words and for a man who has been proclaimed as the King of Pop, that is quite inspiring. It is clear that when Jackson performs, his major goal is to spread love, peace and happiness to the entire audience.

Kenny Ortega, the creative director of Jackson's shows and also the creator of the High School Musical series, was hired to pull together all the rehearsal footage and make the movie and he has done a very proficient job. The film is structured like a concert in the sense that each song is performed in its entirety by splicing together various rehearsals. I can't say enough how incredible it is to watch Jackson perform. Even while half heartedly going through the motions he is a powerful force of nature.

Ortega starts the film with brief interviews taken from dancers who were auditioning for the show. They all express their excitement of having the opportunity to audition and possibly work with Michael. Some of them tear up as they are expressing what Jackson means to them and how he helped transform their lives and it a powerful few minutes to say the very least. I dare you not to get goose bumps. The audition process is shown and it is almost like watching a season of So You Think You Can Dance in ten minutes.

My only real complaint about the film is that it is too long. It could've been a half hour shorter and been just as powerful and inspiring. Maybe for diehard fans of Jackson, the film doesn't over stay its welcome, but for a casual fan or someone who is just curious to see the film, it can become slightly boring.

To sum it up, This Is It is an intimate look at what Jackson had planned for his shows and based on what I saw, they were going to be epic; the kind of concert that you remember for the rest of your life. Michael's magic is on full display here and is hard to resist. Whether you are his biggest fan or his biggest detractor, it is impossible to watch this movie and not walk away with a sense of how great he truly was.



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By far the easiest place to find Klingon weapons for sale is the internet. There is no doubt how popular Star Trek is but let's face it, they aren't going to be in stores in every small town across the country. If you are looking for the perfect Klingon Bat'leth, no matter the reason, you will find the most Klingon weapons for sale online. Finding Klingon weapons for sale might be easy, deciding on which one to purchase won't.

Enriched in deep culture and history, these ancient weapons are a very personal item. In Klingon history, these weapons stay within the family for generation after generation so you will want to choose carefully. Once you have found Klingon weapons for sale, you will need to choose whether you want a sword like Bat'leth, a dangerous large blade such as the Mek'leth. If concealing your weapon is on your agenda, you would probably prefer to sport a D'k Tahg instead of a Mek'leth or Bat'leth.

The Bat'leth is by far the most iconic and popular ancient weapon of the Klingon variety. It spans an impressive 48" and weighs in at a little over 10 pounds. A Bat'leth usually has three handgrips. You would have to be quite the warrior to wield this deadly weapon although they are generally used during peaceful ceremonies these days. The Bat'leth is also known as the 'sword of honor'. A Klingon boy must be 'of age' before he can wield his own Bat'leth.

You might be looking for a Klingon weapon to accompany you for a dress up occasion, a wedding event, a Star Trek convention or a ceremony. Some people like to purchase them as collector's items. The Bat'leth is the most popular Klingon weapon. Owning a Bat'leth is just essential for some who want to immerse themselves in the honor and battle culture sanctioned by the Klingon race.



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9.5 out of 10

Yo Joe! Stephen Sommers big screen adaption of the popular toy property is exactly what it should be; it is a big, loud, fun, action packed, kick ass summer popcorn movie that perfectly captures the spirit of the cartoons and comic books from the 80's. I can tell you right now that any bad reviews you've read are from critics who clearly don't get the appeal of the Real American Heroes. Fortunately for us, Sommers does. Whether you're a fan of G.I. Joe (I am) or just like big budget, action spectacles, you will enjoy every pulse pounding moment of The Rise of Cobra.

Because of the negativity surrounding G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (check out my box office prediction here), I feel the need to defend it. Let's start with the biggest complaint I've seen so far. The film is mindless and has no plot. This couldn't be farther from the truth. There is plenty of story here and they even go out of their way to flesh out back stories for some of the characters.

Don't get me wrong; it's not the best plot ever, but G.I. Joe was never supposed to be Shakespeare. The basic plot is this; NATO soldiers Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) are in charge of guarding a suitcase filled with a dangerous new weapon based on nanomite technology that was developed by arms dealer, M.A.R.S. industries. While transporting the case, they are attacked by a mysterious mercenaries led by the Baroness (Sienna Miller) and then rescued by a covert agency called G.I. Joe that is led by General Hawk (Dennis Quaid). Hawk then enlists them to join his team of super soldiers and help keep the world safe from the evil mercenary group known only as Cobra. That's it. From there it is awesome action scene after awesome action scene as the Joes attempt to thwart Cobra in their quest for global domination. More than enough story for what is meant to be a fun filled summer blockbuster.

Rumors have abounded that the film was terrible and that Paramount fired director Stephen Sommers because of this. The rumors have since been debunked and after watching the movie, I know for certain that they weren't true. Sommers has made a film that plays to the strength of the brand while being accessible to new fans. He stages some amazing action sequences in the movie and I have to say it is his best film to date. I know that isn't saying much considering this is the man behind the god awful Van Helsing, but he is also responsible for the first two Mummy films (great popcorn flicks) and the seriously under rated Deep Rising. Much like Michael Bay (Transformers 1 and 2), Sommers will probably never get the respect he deserves from critics (he has this critics respect), but the box office receipts for his movies speak for themselves.

The best thing about Joe is the amazing, visceral action sequences. My biggest complaint about many of the action films today (I'm talking to you Transformers) is that sometimes you can't even tell what is going on. That is not the case here. The characters never get swallowed up in an orgy of bullets and explosions. Because of all of the different Joes involved in each sequence, it is important to highlight every one of them and Sommers does this to brilliant effect. It reminded me of how skillfully the action scenes in the original Star Wars trilogy were done. Cross cutting between the different characters effortlessly and seamlessly. There is one incredible scene that takes place on the streets of Paris and it is a hoot and a half. You can see a making of video here. In fact it may be the best action scene of the year. The sword fights between black clad, silent ninja, Snake-Eyes and his nemesis, Storm Shadow are expertly staged and will leave you gasping. In fact anytime Snake-Eyes took out his sword my heart skipped a beat. Truly awesome stuff.

My only complaint about the movie is that Snake-Eye's costume was a little too sculpted. That's it ladies and gentlemen. That's my only complaint about a movie I've been anxiously waiting for since I was 9 years old.

The actors are all perfect in their roles and any complaints you may have read about Channing Tatum's performance should be ignored for the rubbish that it is. Tatum as soldier for life, Duke, is perfectly suited for the role and brings great strength and resolve to the character. Marlon Wayans as Duke's sidekick Ripcord is there to provide comic relief in between explosions and does a fine job. I was quite relieved by this as the casting of Wayans scared the living hell out of me. Dennis Quaid as leader of the Joes, General Hawk, barks a lot of orders and doesn't have all that much to do beyond that, but as always he is a pleasure to watch. Although he doesn't utter a single line in the movie, Ray Park is fantastic as silent ninja, Snake-Eyes, impressively bringing one of my favorite characters of all time to life. The rest of the Joes are great as well, but there are too many of them to get into here.

Among the villains, Christopher Eccleston is just fine as the villainous Destro and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is appropriately creepy as the Doctor. White clad, evil ninja, Storm Shadow is played by Byung-Hun Lee and he is awesome, both with his physicality and his nefarious line delivery. All of the actors playing the bad guys do a great job, but the film belongs to Sienna Miller as the Baroness. To get the obvious out of the way, Miller is beyond hot in her tight leather outfit accessorized with glasses. She's like a dominatrix librarian. Hotness aside, Miller tears into the role with a gleeful, evil glint in her eyes and gives the best performance in the movie.

To sum it up, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is an energetic, roller coaster ride and is the best live action adaptation of a cartoon ever. Hell, it's one of the best action movies I've ever seen. Yo Joe indeed!



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Rita Hayworth trivia starts with her birth in 1918, a regular New York girl that had a unique advantage over many of the other girls that wanted to grow up to become actresses. Her father and grandfather were both extremely well known Spanish dance instructors who wanted her to become a dancer, and her mother was pushing for her to be an actress. This meant that even from a young age, Hayworth was getting the training and the knowledge that she needed in order to become an accomplished and successful performer.

Her birth name was actually Margarita Cansino, and a Rita Hayworth quiz will show that the name change came after she signed a contract with Columbia pictures which started her film career in earnest, although she had appeared in some small pictures prior to that time. She would get to work with stars like Cary Grant and James Cagney in her early years, and quickly began to establish herself as a leading lady.

An interesting piece of Rita Hayworth trivia is that she was the person handpicked by Fred Astaire to co-star with him in "You'll Never get Rich". He needed a dance partner and knew her father and his work, and assumed correctly that his daughter must also be a talented dancer.

The status of Rita Hayworth as a sex symbol was already in place by the mid forties, but there was one picture that she would make with Glenn Ford that would make her the ultimate desirable woman of the time. The film was "Gilda" which sparked controversy and success, and it was the response to this film and her status as a "bombshell" that led to her image being painted on the first nuclear bomb that was ever tested after the war.

A Rita Hayworth quiz will show that she was married five different times, including some which were very high profile marriages. Her second marriage to Orson Welles certainly caused some waves throughout Hollywood, and her third marriage to Prince Aly Khan was also cause for much discussion. The actress struggled with drinking throughout most of her life, and may attribute the problem to both her possibly troubled family life and her extremely volatile and abusive marriages. She quite acting in the early seventies, and in 1981 was placed into the care of her daughter after her health progressed to the point that she could no longer look after herself.



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